All You Need Is Love (Is Just the Name of a Song)
by Llwydyn
Summary: Any time two people embark on building a life together, happily ever after has some bumps in the road. For this couple, love isn't a problem. But lots of other things might be. - A series of one-shots and vignettes exploring the future life of Skye and Lance Hunter. Romance, sweetness, angst, family, milestones. Rating to be safe - first chap is K.


**A/N:** I began writing this eons ago and have been sitting on it, and decided at last the time had come to begin publishing what I've written so far. Updates may not be crazy fast, as I'm working around the other things I'm writing - but I promise they will come!

This series of chronological vignettes could be set within the _Facades_ 'verse, the _After You Change_ 'verse, or really any 'verse in which these two end up together - but this work will really play off the themes and character development established in my work _Facades_. If you haven't read it, I recommend it! ;)

* * *

The roaring of the surf and the wind in the palms were the only sounds as they ambled down the beach close to sunset, fingers loosely linked, soft sand squishing between their toes. It was the last day of their week-long leave on Maui.

"I can't believe we're the only people here," Skye said quietly, looking up and down the shoreline.

Hunter chuckled. "Amazing, isn't it? I guess there's no shortage of beautiful beaches. We had the good fortune of finding the least popular one."

He stole a besotted sidelong glance at Skye, who was wearing a knee-length, halter-top hibiscus print dress, a radiant glow in her newly tanned cheeks. "The tropics look good on you," he observed admiringly.

Skye smiled at the compliment.

"What do you think of it here?" he asked quietly.

Skye inhaled deeply the warm air, heady with salt spray and the scent of plumeria. "I love it," she admitted. "I always thought Hawaii had to be overrated. But there's something about being here that's just...really relaxing."

Hunter smiled. "It's almost time," he said, nodding toward the water on their right, where the sun was beginning its descent down into the waves. They turned to watch, Hunter wrapping his arms tightly around Skye's waist and snuggling his chin into her shoulder as she leaned back into him.

When he spoke, his breath tickled Skye's ear. "You," he said softly, "are indescribably beautiful."

She smiled contentedly, tracing her fingers along his arms.

Sunset hues began to streak the sky as the sun drew lower, becoming a brilliant sphere of glowing orange.

"You know, this is the kind of place I could see us living, someday," Hunter murmured hopefully in her ear.

Uneasiness washed over Skye, disrupting her tranquility. The future was an unresolved point in their relationship, a subject they had discussed once or twice, never seen eye-to-eye on, then pushed off to address another day, not needing to add any more conflict to their already stressful lives. Skye knew Hunter looked forward to the day when he could leave their current lifestyle behind him and start building what he referred to as "a real life." But she couldn't imagine a life apart from SHIELD. The lack of resolution weighed on her when she thought about it. So she usually tried not to.

The sun drew lower still, the waves beginning to lap at it. A warm breeze brushed her cheeks, as birds began to sing their sunset songs.

Looking out across the endless expanse of ocean, watching the burning sun dip into the Pacific, Skye felt her worries fade, replaced by a kind of peace she couldn't remember experiencing...ever, maybe. She snuggled closer to Lance, his answering sigh of happiness warm on her neck.

The sun slipped below the horizon, and cool twilight washed over the islands. The waves rumbled as Lance brushed a kiss against her bare shoulder.

It was hard to imagine life without the adrenaline spike of missions, letting go of the responsibility to save the world and just giving in to the quiet peacefulness of a place like this.

But maybe, just maybe, it wouldn't be so bad.

Someday.


End file.
